Crow Garlic, False Garlic, Field Garlic, Onion Grass, Stag’s Garlic, Wild Garlic, Wild Onion

Allium vineale

AL-ee-um  vin-AH-lee (vin-EE-al)

Allium vineale L. is the accepted scientific name for this species of Allium. The genus and species were named and described as such by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

Plants of the World Online lists 51 synonyms of Allium vineale which you can view HERE. Too many to list… 

As of 1-7-24 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 1063 species in the Allium genus. It is a member of the plant family Amaryllidaceae with 71 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

The above distribution map for Allium vineale is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is naive and purple is where it has been introduced. The map on the USDA Plants Database is a little different. No map is 100% accurate, but they give a general idea.   

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations. I post all my observations on iNaturalist. It’s addictive.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS T THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A POSITIVE ID.

Hello everyone! There are always a few clumps of garlic or wild onion growing here and there in the yard and other areas on the farm. I have let them grow in a few areas in the yard to get a positive ID, but really haven’t been able to figure them out. One year there was a HUGE colony growing by the lagoon that was definitely onions. But, one day when I was mowing, I accidentally cut them off. They haven’t been back since. Weird, I had never noticed them until that year and never again. Then there is the spot north of the main pond in a slightly shady area where they flourish.

The summer of 2024 was very hot and dry and by mid-summer, most of the wildflowers in the pasture and hayfields had completely fizzled out. As a result, that left me identifying plants I had basically passed over in the past like the wild garlic north of the pond. The plants in a sunnier area, but in the same location, were more mature than the plants in more shade So, on June 4 (2023), I took a few shots and uploaded them on iNaturalist which suggested Allium vineale. I cross-referenced that name with the Missouri Plants website, and iNaturalist was right again… Various websites list different common names including Crow Garlic, False Garlic, Field Garlic, Onion Grass, Stag’s Garlic, Wild Garlic, and Wild Onion. Some of the common names are also used for other species.

Allium vineale is a perennial species that has been introduced (non native) to North America. In some areas it has become very invasive. In fact, it is said this species is the most invasive in the Allium genus.

As the stem grows, they terminate with an inflorescence, a cluster of flowers and/or bulblets. Initially, the inflorescence is covered by a membrane that splits open but part of it usually stays intact. Sometimes, but rarely, an umbel of flowers develop without bulblets. The cluster is 2-3” wide, with or without flowers. Sometimes a few flowers can be found above the aerial bulblets.

Allium vineale can be found in a variety of habits in full sun to part shade. It isn’t that particular with the soil type and can be hard to get rid of once established. They reproduce by underground bulblets, aerial roots from above ground bulblets, and even by seed if flowers are produced.

Depending on conditions, Allium vineale can grow from 1-3’ in height. The central stem grows from a bulb with a smooth and papery coating. Of course, as you know, everything begins with the bulb… The stem, leaves, and flowers… Try cutting open a bulb, say in the fall or early, and look at what you see.

The outside wrapper of the bulb extends upward on the stem and becomes a sheath. Leaves surround the stem at the base then separate 1/3-1/2 way up the stem. These leaves usually bend and turn brown.

On January 7, 2024, I decided to go to where the Allium vineale grow to take a few photos… I didn’t think to take a knife to cut a bulb in half at the time, and the next few days they were covered with snow.

There were quite a few good-sized clumps with A LOT of bulbs…

As you can see, the bulbs were very small on January 7. I am not sure if they get larger by the end of the summer. That is to check in 2024…

 

Garlic and perennial onions start to grow leaves and remain green all winter. I grow A LOT of Elephant Garlic and they do the same. There are little clumps of Allium in many areas of the yard…

The bulbs and leaves are edible. Some say the garlic flavor is very strong, other say they taste more like onions than garlic. Personally, I have never tried them…

In 2024, I will take more photos of Allium vineale, maybe better… I will let the Allium grow in a few places in the yard where they have done better in the past. Those that haven’t been mowed…

I live on the family farm in Windsor, Missouri in Pettis County (Henry County is across the street, and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away). I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be variable from location to location, so that can be a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and they have provided much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF MISSOURI (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
MISSOURI PLANTS
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-WEED ID GUIDE
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
BACKYARD FORAGER
BURKE HERBARIUM
DAVE’S GARDEN
EAT THE PLANET
FLORA FINDER
GO BOTANY
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
MARYLAND BIODIVERSITY PROJECT
MIDWEST INVASIVE SPECIES INFO. NETWORK
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
PEN STATE UNIVERSITY
PFAF (PLANTS FOR A FUTURE)
SEINet
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
 

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂